Can’t find Developer Options on Android 4.2

Ok so this has to be among the silliest UI “innovations” I’ve encountered.

After updating my phone, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, to Android 4.2.2, I could no longer find the Developer Options menu. And here’s why … Google seems to have decided to no longer make that menu visible by default.

We can argue over why they made such a change ( my guess is to make the developer options less accessible to non-devs ) … but whatever the reason, it’s a pain.

So how to get it back ? (you’re not gonna believe this) …

Open your settings menu

Scroll down and select “About phone”

Locate the entry labeled “Build number’ (probably near the bottom)

Tap repeatedly (I believe its 7 times) on the “Build number” entry (I’m not making this up)

As you do you’ll eventually see a message something like “You are now X steps from being a developer” … continue to tap until the “Developer Options” menu become visible.

And now you have your “Developer Options” menu back … it’ll appear on the Settings menu (screen just prior to reaching the screen with the “Build number” value)